Automatic fire-escape.



H. E. THOMPSON.

AUTOMATIC FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.30, 1913.

Patented Aug. 26.1913.

COLUMBIA PLANouRAPH co.wAsHlNGTON. D c.

HERMAN E. TI-roMrsoN', OF Anson, TEX-As.

AUTOMATIC Finn-ESCAPE;

Speccaton of letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

Appncauon ined :ranaary 30,-11913. serial No. 745,274.

To all whom @'25 may concern Be it known that I, HERMAN E. THOMP- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Anson, in the county of Jones, State of Texas, have invented certain new andl useful Improvements in Automatic Fire-Escapes; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to lire-escapes and has for an object to provide a device of this character having a'central pole upon which the car slides, the pole having a novel base serving as a cushion which prevents shocks when the car reaches the ground.

further object of the invention is to provide novel means for automatically hoisting the car from the ground after each descent.

IVith the above objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being be made in the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specication: Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a cross section on line 3 3 Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4 -1 Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the car and pole with the car at the base of the pole. Fig. 6 is a cross section on line 6 6 Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts, 10 designates a tubular metal pole which is divided longitudinally at the base into four sections 11 each of which is connected to the upper portion of the pole by means of hinges l2, the pole being of `sufficient length to reach from the ground to any desired story of the building and being secured at the top to a suitable support 13 at said story. The pole at the base is formed with circumferential downwardly projecting teeth which are adapted to engage With upwardly projecting teeth on the inner wall of a tube 14 that slidably ts the pole and which is secured at the bottom to the bottom of a basket or car 15 whereby the car is locked at the base of the pole after each descent. The sections 11 of the pole are' normally held spread apart by means of helical springs 16- arrange'dbetween and terminally connected to diametrically opposite sections. The spread apart sections form aY cushion which frictionally enga-ges ywith the tube 111A of the car, such friction increasing as the car nears the bottom, whereby all shock and jar tothe occupants of the car is prevented when the c'ar reaches the ground.

The car is normally held atA the top' of the pole by means of a-` cable 17 which is at-j tached to the' tube of the car and is wound' vupon a drum 1S that is mounted to turn' on a shaft 19 which is suitably fixed at one end to the: building above the pole, there being a helical spring 20` surrounding the shaft Y and terminally connected at one end to the shaft the opposite' end to the drum, this spring being placed underV tension as the fcable is unwound during descent of the car and serving torautomatically return the car to the top of the pole after the` car is 'f released.`

understood that various modifications may To release the car from its locked position at the base of the pole after eaclr descent, a

chain 21 is engaged axially through the pole 4and is terminally equipped with a rod 22,

four links 23 corresponding tothe number of sections 11 being pivotally connected at the upper ends to this rod and being pivotally connected to the inner walls of respective sections by means of pivot pins 23 passed through slots 24 in the rods and through orificed lugs 25 carried by the sections. .An operating lever 26 is pivotally connected to a bracket 27 and is connected to the chain 21, the lever carrying a spring pawl 28 which engages with a notched segment 29 on the bracket. Upon the lever being moved in one direction the links 23 are pulled upwardly and pull the pole sections 11 toward each other whereby the teeth of these sections disengage from the teeth of the car tube, whereupon the spring 20 above described immediately hoists the car to the top of the pole. The lever is then moved in the opposite direction to permit of the section springs 16 returning the sections to their normal divergent relation.

For permitting of the car being stopped to take on passengers from the variousk stories below the top of the pole, a stop lug 30 is pivotally connected to the pole at each story by means of a pivot pin 31 passed through the inner end of the lug and through the pole, the lug being normally held within the interior ot' the pole by means of a helical spring 82 and adapted to be rocked outwardly through a slot 33 in the pole by means of a chain 34., the lug in this position engaging with the bottom of the car and stopping the car. The chain is connected to an operating lever 3&1 which is pivotally mounted on a bracket 35 and is provided with a spring pawl 36 which engages with a notched segment 37 on the bracket. When the lever is moved in one direction the stop lug is rocked outwardly against the tension of its controlling spring 32 into position to stop the car. The lever is rocked in the opposite direction to slacken the chain whereupon the stop lug is rocked out of the path of movement of the car and into the pole by means of its controlling spring.

In operation suppose that the car is at the top of the pole. In this position the stop lug 30 is in operative engagement with the bottom of the car and holds the car at the top of the pole until passengers are taken on. The operator now moves the operating lever SLI to release the stop lug whereupon the car gravitates on the pole and upon ar iiving near the bottom thereof is cushioned and gradually stopped by the divergent base sections l1 as above described. The car is automatically locked at the base of the pole until the passengers are discharged Whereupon the operator manipulates the operating lever 26 as above described to release the car, the latter being immediately hoisted upon the pole to receive another load of passengers.

That is claimed, is

1. In a iire escape, a pole having a base formed of a plurality of pivoted spring controlled sections normally held in the form of a cone, and a car having a central tube surrounding said pole and of less diameter than said cone whereby the latter frictionally engages with said tube and gradually stops the car without shock at the base of the pole.

2. In a re escape, a hollow pole having a base formed of a plurality of sections, hinged connections between said sections and the pole proper, helical springs interposed between said sections and normally holding said sections outwardly in the form of a cone, a draw cable within said pole operatively connected to said sections and adapted to draw the sections inwardly into alinement with the pole proper, and a car having a central tube surrounding said pole, said tube frictionally engaging said base whereby to bring said car to a gradual stop.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

HERMAN E. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

J. D. GORDON, R. L. DAY.

Gop'lies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

